Shelly Manne sets the spine in 1945, and within a few years the line runs through Duke Jordan in 1948 and out to the West Coast pull of Shorty Rogers and guitarist Barney Kessel in 1949 — Duke, Barney, and Shorty already bound together by drummer Max Roach and bassist Tommy Potter, who keep turning up across these dates. By 1952 the baton passes to Stan Levey and Art Simmons, with pianist Al Haig threading Simmons back to Jordan, Rogers, and Levey, while trumpeter Miles Davis links Kessel, Jordan, Levey, and the next arrival, Zoot Sims in 1953. From there the handoff moves through Red Mitchell in 1955 into the dense 1956 cluster of Curtis Counce and Tal Farlow, where bassist Charles Mingus ties Counce and Farlow back to Rogers and Manne, and saxophonist J.R. Monterose and drummer Jer
The spine, inception to now
1945Shelly Manne
1948Duke Jordan
1949Shorty Rogers
1949Barney Kessel
1952Stan Levey
1952Art Simmons
1953Zoot Sims
1955Red Mitchell
1956Curtis Counce
1956Tal Farlow
1957Red Garland
1957Bobby Jaspar
1957Jimmy Giuffre
1961Jim Hall
1961Scott LaFaro
The threads that bind it
Rudy Van Gelderengineer — Bobby Jaspar, Curtis Counce, Jimmy Giuffre, Red Garland, Shelly Manne
Charles Mingusmusician — Curtis Counce, Jimmy Giuffre, Shelly Manne, Shorty Rogers, Tal Farlow
Max Roachmusician — Art Simmons, Barney Kessel, Curtis Counce, Duke Jordan, Shorty Rogers
Tommy Pottermusician — Art Simmons, Barney Kessel, Duke Jordan, Shorty Rogers, Stan Levey